Peering through his camera on a safari in South Africa and Zimbabwe, Jay Walshon was amazed by what he observed: lions, elephants, baboons and many other exotic species living in their natural habitats.

It's an experience he hoped to share with others, particularly children -- a means of raising awareness of animal conservation.

And what better way to do that, he thought, than to let kids look through the same lens, to bring them eye to eye with these ecologically important creatures?

To that end, Walshon created the photographic children's book, "Eye See You Africa," which he will share during an Earth Day celebration at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk on Saturday, April 20.

Walshon will be joined by Susan Hood, a resident of Fairfield's Southport section, who will read from her book, "Spike: The Mixed Up Monster."

The book readings are free with Aquarium admission and both authors will sell signed copies of their books.

The first installment of Walshon's proposed Eye See You series, "Eye See You Africa" challenges kids to guess the animal in a particular image through the lens of a camera. The book is packed with riddles and rhymes to help them along the way.

"It's important for children to connect to animals, to bring them to the scene through the lens of a camera," said Walshon, who is also chairman and director of Emergency Services at Milford Hospital.

"Spike: The Mixed Up Monster," meanwhile, tells the story of a scary-looking salamander who keeps trying to frighten other animals -- until he finds that using fear is not the best way to make friends.

While it is mainly a coming-of-age story, "Spike" also carries an environmental message: the main character is an axolotl, a near-extinct amphibian whose biological "super powers," as Hood puts it, hold the key to potential advances in medical science.

"I hope kids can see that there are things they can do to save the environment and animals like this," Hood said, adding that there are several axolotls on view at the Maritime Aquarium. "To be able to read the book and see the real animal is an incredible experience."

Though children won't get to actually see the animals of "Eye See You Africa," Walshon hopes the close-up images, and the accompanying text, will "connect them to the environment and make them feel they are taking the photograph.

"My goal is to connect the innocents of the world," he said. "By connecting the innocents, you're trying to teach children the importance of stewardship. The stewardship of these animals and the environment is going to be in their hands."